Squirrels

Species vary between 50 & 1350 grams in weight.
Slender toes & sharp claws make them excellent climbers.
Tails are usually large & fluffy to provide shade, warmth, balance & maneuverability; also aids in climbing & slowing down falls.
Generally live 6 to 10 years in the wild.
Flying suirrels (smallest) are brownish-grey and have loose folds of skin extending from the wrists to the ankles, along with webbed feet, enabling them to glide through the air.
They have large black eyes, rounded ears, a light cream belly & a flat-looking tail.
Douglas squirrels are reddish-brown with orange eye rings & belly and black tufted ears.
Grey squirrels (largest) may be grey/brownish-grey (salt&pepper), blond, white or albino with a white/lighter grey belly, or can be completely black.
They generally have white eye rings.

Squirrels make nests (called drays) in wooded areas, tree hollows, woodpecker holes, forked branches, caves or birdhouses. They use leaves, twigs, moss, grass, shredded bark to make nests, and they will often have more than one for emergencies. Flying squirrels & Douglas squirrels prefer coniferous forests, while the Grey is found mainly in deciduous forests.

Other than the nocturnal Flying squirrel, all squirrels are generally active during the day (diurnal) & moult in the spring and autumn. Squirrels can jump long distances & change direction in an instant.

Their rootless teeth never stop growing so they must gnaw constantly to wear them down or their mouths would not close. Squirrels do not hibernate but still remain in their nests in cold weather, venturing out only to obtain food stored elsewhere.

Except for Flying squirrels, females tend to raise young alone. Douglas squirrels prefer a solitary existence, while Flying squirrels will often share nests with others.

Mating can occur either in late winter or in late summer & gestation takes 38 to 44 days. Some older squirrels mate during both seasons. Babies are born hairless & blind in litters of about 3 to 5. Their eyes & ears open up at 4 to 5 weeks and they remain in the nest about 6 weeks. Squirrels are weaned at 10 to 12 weeks & reach maturity around 16 weeks. Mating can begin in the first year of adulthood.

Eliminate access to food & shelter. Homes must be squirrel-proofed – the empty nest in your home will still be available for a new squirrel to move in.

Attics

Locate the entrance to the nest & check for babies (between March & October assume they are there). If you must evict them, try using a strong-smelling deterrent ( mothballs, naphtha flakes, human hair or pet fur) around the opening. Bright lights, loud music & chatter will encourage them to leave – use battery operated props as squirrels will chew electrical wires.

A one-way hinged door (opening outwards) can be installed at the entrance. To ensure the squirrels have left, sprinkle flour in front of the entrance, place peanut butter just inside & listen for any noises. After 3 days, if there are no tracks in the flour, the peanut butter is untouched & there have been no sounds, proceed to seal the entrance. Cover the hole with welded wire mesh or metal flashing. The covering should overlap the hole by several centimeters to stop chewing round the edges. If there have been signs of disturbance, set up the deterrents again (use a variety), & test again.

After you’ve sealed the hole, if a squirrel returns to the area & seems anxious (pacing & vocalizing), there may be babies still inside. Open the hole & wait – repeat the procedure at a later time.

Chimneys

Place humane trap baited with peanut butter inside the fireplace & slowly open the damper. Isolate the room, open outside windows & doors to provide the squirrel with an escape option. Lower a thick rope down the chimney for it to climb out. Remember the possibility of more than one squirrel – keep testing with peanut butter baits. Once caught, release the squirrel in a quiet, wooded area. Prevent further incidents by having the chimney capped with a screen.

**Smoking out animals is inhumane & causes a slow and painful death. It can also cause a fire or other problems if the animal dies & you can’t dispose of it properly.

In the House

Confine the animal to one room, opening all windows & doors to the outside – if left alone, it will leave. Placing a trail of nuts or peanut butter towards the opening can help.
Exterior openings can become entrances for wildlife. Ensure there are no signs of life then screen all vents, including dryer, bathroom and stove (extend covering beyond hole & secure), replace rotting wood with new, painted wood, replace damaged shingles, prune overhanging trees and shrubs to 4 meters from the house & clean eaves regularly.

Outdoor Plants

Squirrels feed during the day – if plants are damaged at night, it is probably some other animal. Try placing repellents (diluted tobasco sauce, bone meal, garlic, mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags) on the soil, over bulbs, around the perimeter and near vulnerable plantings.

Protect trees by trimming low branches (especially sycamore, beech & oak), and place a 50 cm band of sheet metal around the trunk, about 2 meters from the ground.

Flowering bulbs may be covered with 1.5 cm or smaller wire mesh over the bulb bed, secured at least 15 cm beyond the planted area – remove when the ground begins to thaw (squirrels are only interested in bulbs, not growing flowers).

Bird Feeders

Squirrels are very agile, and it is difficult to keep them out of bird feeders.

Try drawing the squirrels away from feeders by providing them with their own source of food. Place free standing feeders away from poles, antennas & trees, and attach inverted cones of sheet metal around potential access routes from the bottom. Large plastic or metal domes over hanging feeders will keep squirrels from approaching from the top.